I’m working at the Valley Nights meeting this Friday, hopeful that the Club (and our bookies business) can cash in on the hype generated by last week’s extraordinary roll-up for Black Caviar’s Australia Stakes romp. Sadly, yet unsurprisingly, the MVRC massively under catered with too few staff on gates/ bars/ food outlets and also with aircon issues upstairs, yet perhaps enough people got to see the possibilities for a great night out when the track’s facilities aren’t so stretched. This was a crowd reminiscent of Hunter Cup nights when Poppy and Gammalite ensured throngs flocked down Puckle Street.
Funnily enough, it is Hunter Cup time again this Saturday night, but, certainly from a mainstream perspective, the days of heightenened public interest in the trots are gone forever. I know Melton is in a massive growth corridor, but “out of sight, out of mind” became the fate of Globe Derby (from Wayville) and will be the same at Menangle (replaced Harold Park) – fortunately Perth still has Gloucester Park, the site of next month’s InterDominion. Optimistically, the fans will turn up for this meeting which, as well as the rich standing start, also includes the final of the Victoria Derby and also the InterDom Trotters Final. Purdon’s Auckland Reactor is favoured to win the A.G. Hunter Cup over a high quality field.
Black Caviar fever will have to wait another week for the “theatregoers” as this Saturday’s meeting at The Heath is the last before the official start of the Melbourne Festival of Racing which will begin with a bumper “free day” to celebrate Moody’s Mare chasing 18 in the Orr. With an eye to the “Festival”, there are some interesting noms and races for those willing to take a look at the formguide today or tomorrow. Autumn has already been boosted with the slashing return of Southern Speed and the impending reappearances of Pinker Pinker, Sepoy and Helmet, but this week we get to see Oaks champ Mosheen return in the Australasian Stakes (MR5,1100m, Listed, 3yo, set weights and penalties). She’ll no doubt have bigger targets ahead (AJC Oaks perhaps) but some of her opponents will be wound up for a win early in their prep. Watch for the hot Alderson camp who have engaged C. Williams for That’s The One (5). Against time-honoured wisdom, I’m leaving the Flemington heroine out and putting value in to the first leg with 2 and 5.
The second leg features the return of the outstanding sprinter Bel Spirit (MR6, No1, 1000m). Good field, steadying weight blah, blah, blah…I just reckon he is top notch. If you want great value for a trifecta, consider Faster Son (MR6, No9, 25/1).
Aldersons’ Sea Galleon eyes off 4 straight in the next (MR7, No1, 2000m, $5). 2,5,7 will be in the market, but I’m on the toppy.
We close with a nightmare 1400m race. Field leg. So many of the better chances have drawn out. Watch on Bart’s I Think I Do for later over ground. Quaddy punters who are budgeting should be sure to include 7 and 18.
For those scrutinising Blue Diamond markets, the latest fav, Jimando, resumes in R4. Watch. As we’ve seen, form can fail very quickly.
It’s a good weekend with the certainty of even better racing ahead. If the weather holds, I recommend a night at the Valley…come up and say g’day and tip me something for Caulfield. Good luck!
See where Neville Wison (65 years old) is riding trackwork prior to getting ijn the saddle again. They dont make them like him anymore.
Give us a quick report on the Valley Crio and where are the rest of the racing followers and bloggers?
If Mosheen is fit and firing first-up, there is no reason she can’t win this.
Anyrate, I remember as a kid growing up in the ’70s, the replay of the Saturday night trots came on early Sunday morn, then the replay of Saturday arvo racing, then World of Sport!
Family of Man, How Now, Ming Dynasty, So Called, etc were names tattooed in your brain. Paleface Adios and all these other trotters called ‘something Hanover”. Life was alot saner, and sane things were catered to. At some time there in the late ’80s I reckon things changed. Bios on female kite-surfers and the hardships of their tour etc took precedence.
My cousin Richard; his wife’s uncle owned Gammalite. As you come into Terang (from the Melbourne side) you have the trotting track; just beyond in a paddock is a big flash mansion. That is the house Gammalite built.
Skip, life moved to Gibbo then Kenny Sutcliffe. ’nuff said.
Terang trots are the haven of desperates on the Wednesday night of the ‘Bool Carnival. I always acknowledge the sign to a truly great champ…possibvly second only to Poppy in my fav list.
David, apparently OK numbers upstairs but the betting ring was empty tonight. We got belted…by the time Olly rode a bolter to win the last we were in damage control.
Just been asked to front at Caulfield so off to get petrol, iron my shirt, make cricket lunches etc as a midnight treat so I can fit junior cricket in en route to the Heath!
Happy to sit home tmrw night and watch cricket/soccer/trots.
Must remember to get on Betfair to have a crfumb on our beast at R5 Kyneton..prefer over a mile.
Not a bad meeting at Caulfield.
Fair to guess we’ve not yet seen the Diamond fav…next week?
Bel Sprinter is good and, as a flyweight, goes on to the Oakleigh Plate v Sepoy.
Mosheen is class and is not aiming for Oaks’ etc so was fit for today.